Antigua Enzell

About Antigua Enzell

Antigua Enzell suits travellers who want a base in the middle of Menorca rather than a coastal strip. The three-star hotel sits in Es Mercadal, the inland market town at the foot of Monte Toro, so both coasts are a short drive for the day and the town itself is 0.3 km away. Couples touring the island, walkers and families with a car all fit the same brief.

The stay is straightforward: a three-star hotel with an indoor pool, an outdoor pool and a terrace, plus free wifi and free car parking on the property. That mix suits guests who want to swim whatever the weather and leave the car without hunting for a space in Es Mercadal. It is a reasonable match for a first trip to Menorca or a repeat visit built around the interior and the north coast.

Location: Es Mercadal and Monte Toro

Es Mercadal is the island's central market town, set at the foot of Monte Toro, the highest point on Menorca at about 358 m. The town keeps a working feel: a grid of streets, shops for daily needs and a square at its centre. Antigua Enzell is 0.3 km from the town and Monte Toro, close enough to walk in for breakfast or an evening meal, and 1.7 km from the summit and its sanctuary, where the views reach both coasts on a clear day.

Two coasts sit within easy reach by car: Arenal d'en Castell, the near-circular bay on the north shore, is 8.3 km away, and Fornells, the fishing village, is the same 8.3 km. The town itself is the only thing worth reaching on foot. Maó and its port are 18.2 km off, so the capital is a day out rather than a stroll. In July and August the north coast bays fill early; May, June, September and October bring cooler walking weather and lighter traffic.

Rooms and facilities

Facilities at Antigua Enzell are listed as free wifi, free car parking, an indoor pool, an outdoor pool and a terrace. For couples, that means a swim before dinner and a terrace for the evening; for families, the two pools give a weather-proof option when the tramuntana wind blows across the island. Late arrivals benefit most from the parking, since reaching an unfamiliar town after dark is easier with a space waiting. The pools and terrace are the shared spaces the hotel lists.

Room types, bedding and any extras such as a cot are best confirmed directly with Antigua Enzell when booking, along with the hotel's check-in and check-out times and whether the indoor pool is open during your stay. Guests arriving late should say so in advance and ask about keeping a parking space. Breakfast arrangements are worth checking at the same time. A short message before arrival settles most of it.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) is 17.5 km from Antigua Enzell in a straight line, on the south-west side of Maó. A hire car collected at the airport gives the most direct run to the town, and a taxi covers the distance for guests arriving late. Buses serve Maó and, in summer, the resorts; routes and timetables are set by the island bus operator, so confirm the current lines and whether one stops near Es Mercadal before relying on it.

From Maó port, where the overnight ferries from Barcelona dock, the hotel is 18.2 km away in a straight line, so a taxi or a hire car from the harbour is the practical choice with luggage. Sailings from Ciutadella and the Palma route also land passengers on the island, and winter brings fewer crossings and fewer flights, which is worth checking with the operators when planning a stay outside the main months. Antigua Enzell's free parking makes a car easy to keep for the whole visit.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Arenal d'en Castell, 8.3 km away, is the nearest swimming bay on the north coast, a near-circular inlet of reddish sand and shallow water. Fornells, also 8.3 km, is a fishing village with a harbour and a reputation for caldereta de llagosta, the lobster stew served across Menorca. Monte Toro is 1.7 km from Antigua Enzell, with a sanctuary at the top and views of both coasts. The talayotic village listed at 11.7 km gives a half-day among Menorca's prehistoric sites, which joined the World Heritage list in 2023.

Sea kayaking on the north coast is listed about 7 km from the hotel, a way to see the Tramuntana shoreline of darker rock and red sand from the water. Further afield, the south coast's white coves under pine lie across the island, and the Camí de Cavalls, about 185 km in 20 stages, can be joined for a section wherever it suits. On the plate, look for Mahón-Menorca cheese with its protected designation of origin, caldereta de llagosta and the gin that British rule left behind in Maó.

A day from Antigua Enzell

Start early with the walk into Es Mercadal, 0.3 km from Antigua Enzell, for coffee and bread before the day heats up, then drive the 1.7 km up Monte Toro to the sanctuary while the light is still clear and both coasts are visible. Come down and take the 8.3 km road north to Arenal d'en Castell for a morning swim in the near-circular bay, or head the same distance to Fornells if a harbour walk appeals more than sand.

After lunch, use the outdoor pool at Antigua Enzell or the indoor one if the wind picks up, then take the 11.7 km run to the talayotic village for an hour among the stones, with the late light on the walls. In the evening, drive back into Es Mercadal, 0.3 km away, for dinner in town, or make the 8.3 km trip to Fornells for caldereta de llagosta. Return to the hotel terrace and the car park without a search for a space.

Practical tips

Outside the main season, roughly from November to April, many hotels, beach bars and seasonal buses on Menorca shut, and Es Mercadal is quieter then, so check Antigua Enzell's own opening dates before booking. July and August bring the peak crowds to the north coast bays; May, June, September and October are gentler for walking and swimming. Menorca's sustainable tourism tax (the ecotasa) is collected by the accommodation per person per night, at rates that vary with the type of stay and the season, with reductions in low season and for longer stays; children under 16 are exempt, and the Govern de les Illes Balears publishes the current rules.

Questions about Antigua Enzell